Chapter 2
First look that the Meat be clean washed, and then set it on the fire, and when it boyleth, scum it clean, and put some salt into the pot, then take _Rosemary, Thyme, Hysop_, and _Marjerome_, bind them together, and put them into the pot, then take a dish of sweet Butter, and put it also into the pot amongst the meat, and take whole Mase, and bind them in a cloath, and put them into the pot, with a quantity of Verjuice, and after that take such a quantity of Almonds as shall serve turne, blanch them, and beat them in the Morter, and then straine them with the broth when your Meat is in, and when these Almonds are strained put them in a pot by themselves, with some _Sugar_, a little _Ginger_, and also a little Rose water, then stir it while it boyle, and after that take some sliced _Oringes_ without the kernels, and boyle them with the broth of the pot, upon a chafin-dish of coales, with a little _Sugar_, and then have some Sipits ready in a platter, and serve the meat upon them, and put not your Almonds in till it be ready to be served.
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_Of Straw-Berries._
_A Tart of Straw-Berries._
Pick and wash your _Straw-Berries_ clean, and put them in the past one by another, as thick as you can, then take _Sugar, Cinamon_, and a little _Ginger_ finely beaten, and well mingled together, cast them upon the _Straw Berries_, and cover them with the lid finely cut into Lozenges, and so let them bake a quarter of an houre, then take it out, stewing it with a little _Cinamon_, and _Sugar_, and so serve it.
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_Of Hartichoakes_.
_How to make a Hartichoake Pye._
Boyle your _Hartichoakes_, take off all the leaves, pull out all the strings, leaving only the bottoms, then season them with _Cinamon_ and _Sugar_, laying between every _Hartichoake_ a good piece of Butter; and when you put your Pye into the Oven, stick the _Hartichoakes_ with slices of _Dates_, and put a quarter of a pint of White-wine into the Pye, and when you take it out of the Oven, doe the like againe, with some butter, and sugar, and Rose-water, melting the butter upon some coales, before you put it into the Pye.
_To keep Hartichoakes for all the yeare._
The fittest time is about _Michaelmas_, and then according to the proportion of _Hartichoakes_ you will keep, seeth a quantity of water in a pot or pan, seasoning it so with white salt that it may have a reasonable tast, then put a fit quantity of white salt into the water, and boyle them together, and scum them well; then put a good quantity of good _Vineger_ to them, to make the liquor somewhat sharp, and boyle it again, then parboyle your _Hartichoakes_ that you mind to keep, in another liquor, take them out of it, and let them coole, then set your first liquor againe on the fire to boyle, and scumming it throughly, let it coole againe; when it is throughly cold, put it up in some firkin, or large earthen pot, and put in your _Hartichoakes_ to them handsomely, for bruising them; then cover them close from the aire, and so keep them to spend at your pleasure.
_To Preserve Hartichoakes_.
Heat water scalding hot first, then put in your _Hartichoakes_ and scald them, and take away all the bottomes, and leaves about them, then take _Rose water_ and _Sugar_ and boyle them alone a little while, then put the _Hartichoakes_ therein, and let them boyle on a soft fire till they be tender enough, let them be covered all the time they boyle, then take them out and put them up for your use.
_To make a maid dish of Hartechoakes_.
Take your _Hartichoakes_ and pare away all the top, even to the Meat, and boyle them in sweet Broth till they be somewhat tender, then take them oat, and put them in a dish, and seeth them with _Pepper, Cinamon_, and _Ginger_, then put them in the dish you mean to bake them in and put in marrow to them good store, and so let them bake, and when they be baked, put in a little _Vineger_ and _Butter_, and stick three or four leaves of the _Hartichoakes_ in the dish when you serve them up, and scrape Sugar upon the dish.
*OF MEDICINES.*
_An Excellent Medicine or Salve for an Ache coming of cold, easie to be made by any Countrey Housewife._
Take of good Neats-foot Oyle, Honey, and new Wax, like quantities, boyle them all well together, then put to them a quarter so much _of Aqua vitæ_ as was of each of the other, and then setting it on the fire, boyle it till it be well incorporated together, then spread it upon a piece of thin Leather, or thick linnen cloath, and so apply it to the place pained.
_To cake the Ague out of any place_.
Take _Vervine_ and _Black Hemlocke_, of each an handfull, boyle them in a pint of fresh _Butter_ till they be soft, and begin to parch againe, then straine the _Butter_ from the hearbs, and put it into a gally pot, and two or three times annoynt the place grieved with a spoonfull or two thereof, _probat_.
_For the Ague in Children, or Women with Child_.
Take _Venice Terpentine_, spread it on the rough side of a piece of thin _Leather_, two fingers breadth, and strew thereon the powder of _Frankincense_ finely beaten, and upon it some _Nutmeg_ grated, binde this upon the wrists an hour before the fit comes, and renew it still till the fit be gone.
_To strengthen the Back weak or diseased._
Take the pith of an Oxes back, wash it in Wine or Ale, and beating it very small straine it through a course cloath, and make a Caudle of it, with _Muskadine_ or strong _Ale_ boyling it therein a few _Dates_ sliced, and the stones taken out, and drink it first and last as warm as you can, walking well, but temperately after it. Toasted dates often eaten are very good for the same.
_For a Paine or Ache in the Back._
Take _Nepe, Archangel, Parsley_, and _Clarie_, of each halfe a handfull wash them cleane, and cut them small, and then fry them with a little sweet Butter, then take the yolks of three or four Eggs, beat them well together, and put them to the Hearbs, fry them all together, and eat them fasting every morning, with some _Sugar_; to take away the unsavorinesse of the Hearbs, some use to take only _Clary_ leaves, and _Parsley_ washed, not cut, or _Clary_ leaves alone, and powring the yolks of the Eggs upon them, so fry them, and eat them.
_For a suddain Bleeding at the Nose._
Burne an Egg shell in the fire till it be as black as a coale, then beat it to a fine powder, and let the party snufle it up into his Nostrills.
_A Medicine for Burning or Scalding._
Take _Madenwort_, stamp it, and seeth it in fresh Butter, and therewith anoynt the place grieved presently.
_For the Canker in Womens Breasts._
Take _Goose_-dung, _Celedonie_, stamp them well together, and lay it plaister-wise to the soare, it will cleanse the _Canker_, kill the wormes, and heale the soare.
_For the Canker in the Mouth._
Take the juice of _Plantaine, Vineger_ and _Rose_ water, of each a like quantity, mingle them together, and wash the mouth often with them.
_To make a Tooth fall out of it selfe._
Take wheat flower and mix it with the Milk of an Hearb called _Spurge_, make thereof a past, and fill the hole of the Tooth therewith, and leave it there, changing it every two houres, and the Tooth will fall out.
_To take away the cause of the paine in the Teeth._
Wash the mouth two or three times together in the morning every moneth, with _White-wine_ wherein the root of _Spurge_ hath been sodden, and you shall never have paine in your Teeth.
_For A Consumption._
Take Ash-keyes so soon as they look wither'd, set them into an Oven, the bread being drawne, in a pewter, or rather an earthen dish, and being so dryed pull off the out side, and reserving the inner part, or the seed, or keyes, beat them to fine powder, and either mix it with good English honey, and so eat of it, first and last, morning and evening, a pretty deale of it at once, upon the point of a knife, or else drink of the powder in some posset Ale, or thin broth. Mares milk, or Asses milk, which is best, being drunk warm morning and evening, is the most soveraigne Medicine for it.
_An excellent Medicine for the Cough of the Lungs._
Take _Fennell_ and _Angelica_ of each one handfull, the leaves in Summer, roots in Winter, sliced figgs twelve, but if the body be bound, twenty at least, green Licorice if you can, two or three good sticks scraped and sliced, Anniseed cleaved and bruised, two good spoonfulls, two or three Parsley roots scraped, and the pith taken out, and twenty leaves of Foale-foot, boyle all these in three pints of _Hysop_ water, to a pint and halfe, then straine it out into a glasse, putting to it as much white _Sugar_-candy as will make it sweet, drink hereof, being warmed, five spoonfulls at a time, first in the morning, and last in the evening, taking heed that you eat nor drink any thing two howres before nor after.
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_Of Violets._
_The use of Oyle of Violets._
Oyle of _Violets, Cammomile, Lillies, Elder flowers, Cowslips, Rue, Wormwood_, and _Mint_, are made after the same sort; Oyle of _Violets_, if it be rubbed about the Tempels of the head, doth remove the extream heat, asswageth the head Ache, provoketh sleep, and moistneth the braine; it is good against melancholly, dullnesse, and heavinesse of the spirits, and against swellings, and soares that be over-hot.
_The Syrupe of Violets._
Take faire water, boyle it, scum it, and to every ounce of it so boyled and scummed, take six ounces of the blew of _Violets_, only shift them as before, nine times, and the last time take nine ounces of _Violets_, let them stand between times of shifting, 12 houres, keeping the liquor still on hot embers, that it may be milk warm, and no warmer; after the first shifting you must stamp and straine your last nine ounces of _Violets_, and put in only the juice of them, then take to every pint of this liquor thus prepared, one pound of _Sugar_ finely beaten, boyle it, and keep it with stirring till the _Sugar_ be all melted, which if you can, let be done before it boyle, and then boyle it up with a quick fire. This doth coole and open in a burning _Ague_, being dissolved in _Almond_ milk, and taken; especially it is good for any Inflamation in Children. The Conserves are of the same effect.
_The use of Conserve of Violets and Cowslips._
That of _Cowslips_ doth marvelously strengthen the Braine, preserveth against Madnesse, against the decay of memory, stoppeth Head-ache, and most infirmities thereof; for _Violets_ it hath the same use the Syrupe hath.
_To make Paste of Violets, or any kind of Flowers._
Take your Flowers, pick them, and stamp them in an _Alablaster_ morter, then steep them two howres in a sauser of _Rose_-water, after straine it, and steep a little _Gum Dragon_ in the same water, then beat it to past, print it in your Moulds, and it will be of the very colour and tast of the Flowers, then gild them, and so you may have every Flower in his owne colour, and tast better for the mouth, then any printed colour.
_Powder of Violets._
Take sweet _Ireos_ roots one ounce, red _Roses_ two ounces, _Storax_ one ounce and a halfe, _Cloves_ two drams, _Marjerome_ one dram, _Lavinder_ flowers one dram and a halfe, make these into powder; then take eight graines of fine _Muske_ powdered, also put to it two ounces of _Rose_-water, stir them together, and put all the rest to them, and stir them halfe an hour, till the water be dryed, then set it by one day, and dry it by the fire halfe an houre, and when it is dry put it up into bagges.
_A good Plaister for the Strangury._
Take _Violets_, and _Hollyhokes_, and _Mercury_, the leaves of these Hearbs, or the seeds of them, also the rinde of the _Elderne_ tree, and _Leydwort_, of each of these a handfull, and beat them small, and seeth them in water, till halfe be consumed, and put thereto a little oyle Olive, and make thereof a plaister, and lay it to the soare and reines; also in the summer thou must make him a drink on this manner, take _Saxifrage_, and the leaves of _Elderne_, five leav'd grasse, and seath them in a pottell of staile Ale, till the halfe be wasted, then straine it, and keep it clean, and let the sick drink thereof first and last, and if you lack these hearbs because of winter, then take the roots of five-leav'd grasse, and dry them, and make thereof a powder, then take Oyster-shells, and burne them, and make powder also of them, and mingling them together, let the sick use thereof in his pottage, and drink, and it will help him.
_A Medicine for sore blood-shotten and Rhuematick eyes._
Take ground _Ivy_, _Daises_, and _Celedony_, of each a like quantity, stamp and straine out the juice out of them, and put to it a little brown _Sugar_ Candy dissolved in white Rose-water, and drop two or three drops of this liquor at one time into the grieved eye, with a feather, lying upon the back when you doe it an hour after, this is a most approved Medicine to take away all _Inflamations, Spots, Webbs, Itches, Smartings_, or any griefe whatsoever in the eyes.
_A Glister to open and loosen the Body being bound, which may safely be administred to any man or woman._
Take _Mellowes_ and _Mercury_ unwashed, of each two handfulls, halfe a handfull of _Barley_ clean rubbed and washed, boyle them in a pottell of running water to a quart, then strayne out the water, and put it in a Skillet, and put to it three spoonfulls of Sallet Oyle, and two spoonfulls of Honey, and a little salt; then make it luke warm, and so minister it.
_To cleanse the head, and take the Ache away._
Chew the root of _Pellitory of Spaine_, often in the mouth.
_A Medicine that hath healed old Sores upon the leggs, that have run so long that the bones have been seen._
Take a quantity of good sweet _Cream_, and as much _Brimstone_ beaten in fine powder, as will make it thick like Paste, then take so much _Butter_ as will make it into the form of Oyntmemt, and herewith annoynt the place grieved, twice a day.
_An Oyntment for a Rupture._
Take of _Sanicle_ two handfulls, of _Adders_ tongue, _Doves_ foot, and _Shephards purse_, of each as much, of _Limaria_ one handfull, chop them somewhat small, and boyle them in _Deers_ seuet, untill the Hearbs doe crumble, and wax dry.
_A Barley Water to purge the Lungs and lights of all Diseases._
Take halfe a pound of faire _Barley_, a gallon of running water, _Licorice_ halfe an ounce, _Fennell_ seed, _Violet_ leaves, _Parsley_ seed, of each one quarter of an ounce, red _Roses_ as much, _Hysop_ and _Sage_ dryed, a good quantity of either, _Harts tongue_ twelve leaves, a quarter of a pound of _Figges_, and as many _Raisons_, still the _Figges_ and _Raisons_, put them all into a new earthen pot, with the water cold, let them seeth well, and then strain the clearest from it, drink of this a good quantity, morning and afternoone, observing good diet upon it, it taketh away all _Agues_ that come of heat, and all ill heat; it purgeth the _Lights, Spleene, Kidneyes_, and _Bladder_.
_To Cure the Diseases of the Mother._
Take six or seaven drops of the Spirit of _Castoreum_ in the beginning of the fit, in two or three spoonfulls of posset _Ale_, applying a Plaister of _Gavanum_ to the Navill.
_To kill Warts: an approved Medicine._
Take a _Radish_ root, scrape off the out side of it, and rub it all over with salt, then set it thus dressed upright in a saucer, or some other small dish, that you may save the liquor that runneth from it, and therewith annoynt your Warts three or four times in a day, the oftner the better, and in five or six dayes they will consume away, _Sepe probatum_.
_For the Piles._
Set a Chafin-dish of coales under a close stoole chaire, or in a close stoole case, and strew _Amber_ beaten in fine powder, upon the coales, and sit downe over it, that the smoak may ascend up into the place grieved.
_A Medicine for the Piles._
Take a little _Orpine, Hackdagger_, and _Elecampane_, stamp them all together with _Boares_ grease, into the form of an Oyntment, and lay them to the place grieved.
_A Diet for the Patient that hath Ulcers or Wounds that will hardly be Cured with Oyntments, Salves, or Plaisters._
Take one pound of _Guaicum_, boyle it in three pottels of _Ale_, with a soft fire, to the consuming of two parts, but if it be where you may have wild Whay, or cheese Whay, they are better. Let the Patient drink of this morning and evening, halfe a pint at a time, and let him sweat after it two hours. His drink at his Meals must be thus used, put into the same vessel where the former was made, to the _Guaicum_ that is left, three pottels of _Ale_, and not _Whey_, let it boyle to the one halfe, let him drink thereof at all times, and at his meale, which must be but one in a day, and that so little, that he may rise hungry. Thus he must doe for five dayes together, but he must first be purged.
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_Of Cowslips_.
_Oyle of Cowslips._
Oyle of _Cowslips_, if the Nape of the Neck be annointed with it, is good for the _Palsie_, it comforteth the sinews, the heart and the head.
_The use of the Oyle of Wormwood, and Oyle of Mint_.
Oyle of Wormwood is good for straines and bruises, and to comfort the stomach; it is made of the green Hearb, as are the Oyle of _Cammomile_, _Rue_, and _Mint_, are made.
Oyle of _Mint_ comforteth the stomack, overlayed or weakned with Casting, it doth drive back, or dry up Weomend breasts, and doth keep them from being soare, being therewith annointed.
_Syrupe of Cowslips_.
Instead of running water you must take distilled water of _Cowslips_, put thereto your _Cowslip_ flowers clean picked, and the green knobs in the bottome cut off, and therewith boyle up a Syrupe, as in the Syrupe of _Roses_ is shewed; it is good against the _Frensie_, comforting and staying the head in all hot _Agues, &c_. It is good against the _Palsie_, and procures a sick Patient to sleep; it must be taken in _Almond_-milk, or some other warm thing.
_To keep Cowslips for Salates_.
Take a quart of _White wine_ Vineger, and halfe a quarter of a pound of fine beaten _Sugar_, and mix them together, then take your _Cowslips_, pull them out of the podds, and cut off the green knobs at the lower end, put them into the pot or glasse wherein you mind to keep them, and well shaking the _Vineger_ and _Sugar_ together in the glasse wherein they were before, powre it upon the _Cowslips_, and so stirring them morning and evening to make them settle for three weeks, keep them for your use.
_To Conserve Cowslips_.
Gather your Flowers in the midst of the day when all the dew is off, then cut off all the white leaving none but the yellow blossome so picked and cut, before they wither, weigh out ten ounces, taking to every ten ounces of them, or greater proportion, if you please, eight ounces of the best refined _Sugar_, in fine powder, put the _Sugar_ into a pan, and candy it, with as little water as you can, then taking it off the fire, put in your Flowers by little and little, never ceasing to stir them till they be dry, and enough; then put them into glasses, or gally pots, and keep them dry for your use. These are rather Candied then Conserved _Cowslips_.
_To Preserve all kinde of Flowers in the Spanish Candy in Wedges_.
Take _Violets_, _Cowslips_, or any other kinde of Flowers, pick them, and temper them with the pap of two roasted _Apples_, and a drop or two of _Verjuice_, and a graine of _Muske_, then take halfe a pound of fine hard _Sugar_, boyle it to the height of _Manus Christi_, then mix them together, and pour it on a wet Pye plate, then cut it it in Wedges before it be through cold, gild it, and so you may box it, and keep it all the year. It is a fine sort of Banquetting stuffe, and newly used, your _Manus Christi_ must boyle a good while and be kept with good stirring.
_A Medicine to break and heale sore breasts of Women, used by Mid-wives, and other skillfull Women in_ London.
Boyle _Oatmeale,_, of the smallest you can get, and red _Sage_ together, in running or Conduict water, till it be thick enough to make a Plaister and then put into it a fit proportion of _Honey_, and let it boyle a little together, take it off the fire, and while it is yet boyling hot, put thereto so much of the best _Venice Terpentine_ as will make it thick enough to spread, then spreading it on some soft leather, or a good thick linnen cloath, apply it to the brest, and it will first break the soare; and after that being continued, will also heale it up.
_A Medicine that hath recovered some from the Dropsie whome the Physitian hath given over_.
Take green _Broome_ and burne it in some clean place, that you may save the ashes of it, take some ten or twelve spoonfulls of the same Ashes, and boyle them in a pint of _White_ wine till the vertue of it be in the wine, then coole it, and drayne the wine from the dreggs, and make three draughts of the Wine, and drink one fasting in the morning, another at three in the afternoone, another late at night neer going to bed. Continue this, and by Gods grace it will cure you.
_An especiall Medicine for all manner of Poyson_.
Take _Hemp seed_, dry it very well, and get off the husks, and beat the _Hemp seed_ into fine powder, take _Mintes_ also, dry them, and make them into powder, boyle a spoonfull of either of these in halfe a pint of _Goats_ milk, a pretty while, then put the milk into a cup to coole, and put into it a spoonfull of _Treacle_, and stir them together till it be coole enough, then drink it in the morning fasting, and eat nothing till noon, or at least two hours; doe the like at night, and use it so three dayes, and it will kill and overcome any poyson.
_Doctor_ Lewin's _Unguentum Rosatum, good for the heat in the Back._
Take a certain quantity of _Barrowes_ grease; Oyle of sweet _Almonds_, and _Rose-water_, either red or damask, of each a like quantity, but of neither so much as of the _Hoggs_ grease, beat them together to an Oyntment, put it in some gally pot, and when you would use it, heat it, and therewith annoynt the Back and Reins.
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_Of Beanes._
_To defend Humours._
Take _Beanes_, the rinde or the upper skin being pul'd off, bruise them, and mingle them with the white of an Egg, and make it stick to the temples, it keepeth back humours flowing to the Eyes.
_To dissolve the Stone; which is one of the Physitians greatest secrets._
Take a peck of green _Beane_ cods, well cleaved, and without dew or rain, and two good handfulls of _Saxifrage_, lay the same into a Still, one row of _Bean_ cods, another of _Saxifrage_, and so Distill another quart of water after this manner, and then Distill another proportion of _Bean_ codds alone, and use to drink oft these two Waters; if the Patient be most troubled with heat of the Reins, then it is good to use the _Bean_ codd water stilled alone more often, and the other upon comming downe of the sharp gravell or stone.
_Unguentum Sanativum_.
Take of _Terpentine_ one pound, _Wax_ six ounces, Oyle of _Cammomile_ halfe a pint, put all these together in a pan, and put to them a handfull of _Cammomile_, bruised, or cut very small, boyle them upon a soft fire till they be well melted, and no more; then take it from the fire, and strayne it into a clean pan, and so let it coole all night, and in the morning put it up for your use. This Oyntment is good for any cut, wound, or breaking of the flesh, it eateth away dead flesh, and ranklings, and doth heale againe quickly.
_A Serecloath for all Aches_.
Take _Rossen_ one pound, _Perrossen_ a quarter of a pound, as _Mastick_ and _Deer sewet_ the like, _Turpentine_ two ounces, _Cloves_ bruised, one ounce, _Mace_ bruised, two ounces, _Saffron_ two drams, boyle all these together in Oyle of _Cammomile_, and keep it for your use.